Do you ever feel like youāre more than just your job title? Like thereās a collective spirit within each of us that, if channeled right, can make a real difference?
In my years of involvement with union activities in Asia, Iāve witnessed the transformative power of collective action. My passion for workersā rights has remained steadfast, and itās time we bring that energy to Taiwan. And if thereās one thing Iāve learned, itās that belonging and unity can ignite powerful transformations.
Validation & Recognition: Itās natural to want our struggles acknowledged and our efforts celebrated. Imagine a community that truly sees and supports you.
Shared Purpose: Thereās an unmatched strength in shared experiences. Letās combine our stories and build something meaningful for all of us in Taiwan.
Empowerment: Alone, itās easy to feel like a drop in the ocean. But together, we can be the tide. Letās reclaim our agency and voice.
Inclusion: This isnāt about specific roles or industries. Itās about YOU and the value you bring.
Every perspective matters, and every voice has weight.
If any of this resonates, letās chat. Your insights, experiences, and vision are essential. Join this movement and be part of sculpting a brighter, more inclusive future for everyone in Taiwan.
Looking forward to connecting with each and every one of you.
really need one of these for the poor SEA and Philippino fishing workers because clearly the government doesnāt give a fuck about that
problematically in both cases, without a requirement for people to join the union to join the workforce in their industry, theyāll just move on to new foreign workers. And the same applies for the english teaching industry - go after FOTB people who donāt know better. Although maybe this will finally give the non-native speaker teachers a chance to overcome the huge bias for natives lol
Thank you for pointing me to those threads; Iāve thoroughly reviewed them. While the enthusiasm for starting a union and seeking advice on it is commendable, itās important to acknowledge the immense effort that such an endeavor demands. One thing that stood out to me:
Membership Criteria: Itās counterproductive to impose restrictive membership criteria, such as requiring a minimum duration of stay in Taiwan. The union I was associated with never practiced such exclusions(except for management positions). If members join, contribute their dues, and then depart after a short period, thatās an inherent aspect of union dynamics. Given the transient nature of many jobs, especially in areas like English teaching, fluidity in membership is expected.
Iāve encountered such behavior in the past, and much of it hinges on a companyās culture. Regrettably, there will always be businesses that skirt their legal obligations or cycle through workers. These companies are often the least appealing to work for, leading to high turnover rates. Membership in a union, however, offers employees a protective umbrella and the leverage to negotiate better terms. While the union can indeed resolve issues for its members, the duration can varyāsome situations might be addressed swiftly, while others require persistence. But from my experience, persistence with a unionās backing yields positive results.
I like the idea of a group of foreigners helping each other out. I wanted to create a co-op where foreigners could come and live. We would have job leads and help finding apartments. The possibilities are endless.
Thatās an intriguing idea youāve brought up. Creating a co-op for foreigners to provide mutual assistance and share resources could genuinely make a difference in many lives. While a union primarily centers on workersā rights and negotiations, a co-op addresses the immediate and practical needs of foreigners, like housing and job opportunities. Both concepts serve valuable purposes, and while they operate differently, they can complement each other. Iām open to discussing this further and exploring how we can ensure both ideas thrive together.
Iāve thought for a while that local Taiwanese workers also need more powerful unions. I donāt think all, or even most, the issues with Taiwanese workplaces are purely cultural. The long hours, low pay, power of management, I think boil down to, more than anything else, weak unions.
I think framing it as a āthis is a country-wide, workforce-wide problem that affects both foreign and Taiwanese workers. Hereās how it affects us specificallyā might be a really strong strategy and gain some allies in the Taiwanese labor movement, ā¦to the extent that such a movement exists
Youāve hit the nail on the head. While my initial focus was on the experiences of foreigners, itās evident that many local Taiwanese workers face similar challenges. Bridging this gap and finding common ground could be a fantastic way to create a unified, stronger movement. I appreciate your insight.
I donāt think here is the only place you chat on workersā right, but the largest group of foreign workforce in Taiwan is foreign labors from SEA and not much of them are here. You may want to talk with them. As I posted, there already exist some labor unions and organizations for foreign labors. You could work with them.
You make a valid point about the large number of foreign laborers from Southeast Asia working in Taiwan. I appreciate the suggestion to collaborate with existing unions and organizations catering to them. My initial focus on this forum is aimed at English teachers because thatās where I have extensive experience and can directly relate to their unique challenges. I believe itās crucial to address the issues where one has the most expertise first, and then possibly broaden the scope of representation as we gain traction.
due to this sentense, i thought you were targetting foreigners in wider fields.
maybe the industries mean public schools, cram schools, schools for adults etc, and targes are just english teachers.
Validation & Recognition: Itās natural to want our struggles acknowledged and our efforts celebrated. Imagine a community that truly sees and supports you.
